Wich 3D software is better?

Or also called: The stupid argue about wich software I like the most

Table of Prices of different 3D software( August 2011)-->Info taken direcly from official sites: Autodesk, Maxon, Pixologic and Blender, also you can check: http://wiki.cgsociety.org/index.php/Comparison_of_3d_tools but I think prices are not updated.

First of all, Why did you choose just 7 software tools for 3D when there are much more tools than that! Like lightwave or 3D coat... just simple, I have used this software for some time and I can make almost a fair comparative between these programs.

The first thing you can compare to choose software to learn or software or also for your company is that... prices! This is an important part to choose between different software because as 3D artist or 3D worker you are going to have to buy or work in a company which this software is being used. We are talking about business, education and work, so... you are working for having money, not just for FREE.

Also I would like to introduce myself as 3D artist/worker into 3D world, I am based in Madrid, I have been using this software not for so long, so I am getting involved into 3D software like 4-5 years ago. After Fine Arts Bachelor, Master degree, working into 3D scanning company, 3D department of my University, 3D animation and also videogames and traveling into Switzerland and Berlin soon. Being a young 3D worker is just my frame, also notice the experience is just enought to have a small idea of 3D and know the medium standard level of 3D industry, I hope I am getting pro next 5 years working into specific sofware cause I was trying to find the best program and also the one wich fits better with my ideas.--About my experience into 3D softwareGoing on into this frame, you can Imagine I am better with specific software, My first touch with 3D sofware was 3Dmax and Blender, after that the experience was changing and also the Operative system I was using.

The problem of: Wich operative system would I use?Linux OS and smart choicesNow I work with Mac and Windows, there is a big problem with operative systems, cause almost all of the sofware is not full compatible with all operative systems, and I am not talking about Linux, I appreciate Linux users a lot, because I think those people choose the smartest choice, but... industry is not about being smart nowadays, industry is about being fast, cheap and also watching for economy. After seeing this table, people would say, oh! the smartest choice is Blender! cause have EVERYTHING is full compatible with all Operative systems, it´s for free and you can make, everything? you want to with this software, but I will tell you some real facts: not so much companies are using Blender, not so much professionals are using Blender or at least you cannot find so much jobs (paid jobs) for using Blender. Why?

Linux is the smartest choice, used mostly by computer science guys, Information Technology, programmers... but is not popular for most of the users.

About Windows OS

Windows have been for so much longer time the most used OS, so... this means a lot. Also 3D software was not Autodesk, was about other companies... but let's talk about today, and simple ideas: Windows most used = 3D sofware for windows is most used. I really don´t know so much about 3D software history but all 3D software are compatible with Windows. Would be really stupid to create 3D software and not make this sofware compatible with Windows... during last 20 years. This does not mean all this sofware was available on Windows, but you can see all of these products, today, are Window compatible.

About Mac OS

I am not so sure, but I think Mac was not so popular in the past as Windows, today Mac is being more popular than ever, the disadvantages of this software and hardware, It´s really expensive, reaaally expensive and so much stupid users use Mac, but also so much smart people who appreciate his time use this expensive software, I use Mac because saves lots of time and maintenance is cheaper than Windows operative system. Windows is cheaper in first hand and also hardware, Mac is expensive, but if you use your equipment gentle and being clever about the limits of mac, you would have computer and not you would not have to worry about buying expensive hardware with the apple mark on it.

3D software on Mac is not popular as 3D software on windows...

The choice I made after all these years: Use 3D software compatible with Mac and Windows

My experience with 3DMaxMy first touch into 3D was into 3Dsmax 07 at the university. Reasons because they were teaching 3Dsmax was not because it is the best, but because it is translated into SPANISH! I come from Madrid, and people in Spain are not so usued to english software... not so usued to english language at all. Cultural issue and is as stupid as it sounds. Is this a good reason to choose software? no, it is not..

Second reason because 3Dxmax was chosen, and is chosen not just into the university, just into the whole country and other countries, 3Dsmax was mostly cracked, pirated 3D software, plus, It had most number of tutorials, easier to find than any other 3D software, so. There would be no other things to think about if you have 3D software and ways to learn about it, this sofware is chosen at the university because is in spanish and there are lots of tutorials, you don't have to think about anything else. Everyone uses it!

My experience with BlenderThe first touch with Blender was because of Videogame making... I was into videogame project at the university, also at same time I was into the 3D department of the whole campus of the University using 3Dmax. When we started with Blender 2.4, it was painful... after using 3D max cause was completely new interface, but It had a really new and interesting thing: BGE the game engine into Blender, with that you are able to create videogames... any kind of videogame! and I can prove it. Just see my work on http://trolechaun.weebly.com/index.html and I am not a programmer after all.

Blender is cool, just the coolest one, but.. when I tried to find a job with that. In first instance is not possible to find a job if you are not working as freelance, cause everybody uses 3dmax, and this is about the money, companies don´t pay to Blender users, they are looking for 3dmax... (in Spain mostly)

My experience with Zbrush

The first time I watched videos about zbrush and people using it, I felt in love with that software, Pixologic made just a great job to develop this, and I cannot say other thing than is Great, is in my most favourites software list ever. Also is available for Windows and Mac... great!But the truth is... I can find more jobs where people uses Mudbox, notice Zbrush coplete subscription is cheaper than Mudbox... and people choose Mudbox and it is not the cheapest. But the interface and intuition... I will talk about it later.

About Cinema 4DIf you want to learn 3D and you have to choose between different software the most friendly interface I used is Cinema4D Release 11 Why? because is full of small icons and they change when you change the menu options, so you can have a graphic description and also written description for the different tools. The visor and learning 3D is as complicated as other software but at least you have visual description and references other programs does not have. If I would have to show people how to understand 3D interface I would use Cinema, results can be great, but is not as used into Windows, is more used by Mac users and it fits into Mac OS enviroment.

Softimage

This is the most clean Interface of all, have no Icon, It is the opposite of Cinema 4D but you can do as great 3D as other software, I used it in Switzerland, I think is really common into Europe but it is not really common in Spain, some people don´t know what means XSI

Really clean interface, I can assure you, I would like to use it but.. is not for Mac and is not so known into standard industry in Spain, of course you can find lots of companies of advertising, animation wich are using it in Spain. (Notice this is just a point of view, mayb other people know it as really common but I don´t)Autodesk Mudbox

I am not so fan of Mudbox, but one of the strongest capabilities of Mudbox is about texturing and creating normal/displacement maps. It has not so nice features as Zbrush have, I think is not cool, but... people uses it. Also it is more expensive than Zbrush, but people likes more Mudbox because of the interface, true story. People does not know Zbrush have plugins for changing the interface system, they don't think about it too, cause they think they are able to make the same things, but the true is, they make the basics almost the same, but for modelling Zbrush is completely the best choice of all.

I used Mudbox at work, and I have not a problem with that, but I would be happier using Zbrush for modelling, cause normally... at companies don't use Mudbox for texturing, wich is the best thing about this program, but for modelling... it's ok anyway.

Autodesk MayaThis program is available for Windows and Mac, It's as complex as 3D max is, you can get better results with Maya than 3D max, is more used into animation and 3D max into videogames. Maya is compatible with Mudbox, Zbrush, Camera Tracking programs, have lots of plugins as 3D max uses, this software is used into really big companies, also I think is faster to work with Maya than 3D max, this depends on the user, but I assure you.. I have seen tutorials trying to create similar sistems as Maya have into default interface. I would not say is the best, cause is as complicated as 3D max, difficult for learning and also have so much stupid complicated things wich could be changed long time ago, the same thing about 3D max, I think Maya and 3D max are into the same plane, equal. I prefer Maya because I consider it more international.. 3Dmax is completely much more common in Spain, there are not so much professors on Maya. But if I prefer Maya it's because my favourite companies uses it, and is compatible much more than 3Dmax, I like it.

InterfacesWorst Interfaces EverI want to talk about interfaces because in Spain lots of people, I include friends also, All of them say 3Dmax is the most intuitive interface ever. This is said mostly by 3Dmax users, I will tell you something: Imagine this... you live in Spain and your mother language is spanish, after some years of talking, studying spanish a lot and at the same time you study english as second language, (this question is asked to childrend.. because they will tell you the same thing) you as children know spanish very well so, one day one guy ask you, wich language is easier? spanish or english? the spanish children would say: spanish because he knows to talk and write spanish, is his mother language! But clearly.. english is the easiest language between them.someday you make the same question to 3D user. 3Dmax user.. you ask him, wich is the most intuitive interface, and he will say to you: 3DmaxBut.. is not. You can try also with blender users wich started using blender, they would say the same thing, also Maya users... The worst interfaces into 3D software are 3Dmax, Maya and Blender. Reasons?

3Dmax, Maya and Blender. They are complicated because it's necessary but they are not the BEST they just are different between themAll of them are extremely complicated, you just have to study lots of tutorials about 3D to start using them. also you learn how to move around the interface.Why I would say: Pan with MBM and ALT, Zoom with RBM and ALT is more or less intuitive than Pan with RMB and ALT, Zoom with middle mouse or anything like this.. select with RBM is less intuitive than select with LBM. Mayb this is into the convention. All 3D interfaces have completely different kind of control... it's just crazy. Why one would be better than other one?Complete stupid things about default 3Dmax: using keyboard for show/hide Grid... Is it usefull at all? NO, why would I need press G Key to hide or show grid... it´s just stupid, In Maya you use G to repeat the last action, and this is much more usefull. And I talk about this Key, but it is the same thing with SPACE, WHY, WHY!!? in 3Dmax you can lock actions with SPACE key, completely useless. In Maya you change between visors.. dont need F, B, P, S to change between front, side. In Maya you can use just Space, not... 4 key shorcuts.

Stupid thing about Blender default: using RMB to select... what? why? oh, yeah, you can change it on Preferences, but you can also do it on other 3D programs, also I am not fan of TAB to get into the properties of the object but it saves space. also move around Blender is completely different than 3dmax or Maya... shit! Convention guys! make all 3D the same... make 3D universal, do you think you would lose users? Cause I dont think so. The best part of Blender are key shortcuts and mouse shortcuts too.

Stupid things about Maya: This tab menu on the right side and also left side... you add nodes and it's kind of messy, all of these little nodes next to the others, I would never have enought space into my screen for that, 3D max is better on that they saves space into the screen. Nodes... are ok, but sometimes you just like to make things easier, Maya is cool for making complex things and so much different results, but guys... It's complicated, I think this program is for professional use, big companies, completely complicated to learn, difficult even when you have studied a master about that.

Fight between Mudbox and Zbrush usersZbrush is really intuitive, Is complicated enought, but the most things I heard some comments about that, and they are.. Zbrush is not intuitive at all, I use Mudbox because I dont like to use an alien interface. But all the interfaces are diferent, wich is the most alien one? If you think 3Dmax is the ONE... please try other software.

Make an experiment with a young boy/girl who never used 3Dmax, they will like it, they will love Zbrush, is better than mudbox for modelling is cheaper than Mudbox, but 3D users will like most mudbox because they don´t have time to learn, I will say, younger and computer native users will like more zbrush because they are usued to change between interfaces, but people with some decades on him... born before 80s would prefer mudbox.

Mudbox is much more better about texturing, have more options. But not into modelling, If you made a list of things Zbrush have and Mudbox not, It would be more than 20 features. Zspheres, easy 3D/texture projection, animation, transpose, blendshapes, and more... much more. And you can have plugins from pixologic.

Oh, also... I cannot install Mudbox on my computer but I can install Zbrush. Cause of graphic card.About Cinema 4D and Softimage interfaces

I am cool with them, I would prefer Cinema 4D to learn or teaching 3D and Softimage to work with.

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